1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to food processing equipment and related machines, and more specifically to an improved shrimp processing machine used to shell and devein fresh shrimp.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most common varieties of edible shrimp have six shell segments, the last segment bearing appendages called telson and uropods; an intestinal tract ("vein") inside the meat; and pleopods ("legs") or swimmerettes. The sixth shell segment and its attached telson and uropods are collectively referred to as the tail portion of the shrimp. Only the meat of the shrimp is generally considered to be edible, so the shell segments and various appendages must typically be removed from the shrimp before consumption.
Edible shrimp retains its flavor and texture best when these shell segments and appendages are removed just prior to its use (e.g., cooking). In addition, many consumers prefer that the vein or intestinal tract of the shrimp also be removed before consumption. Unfortunately, manual removal of the shell and vein tend to be labor-intensive tasks, adding greatly to the cost of the finished and prepared food product.
Numerous machines have been developed to process (i.e., shell and devein) such edible shrimp for large-scale commercial use. However, these machines are generally complicated, cumbersome and expensive, and therefore often unsuitable for use in markets, restaurants or in homes. Other known prior art shrimp processing machines require the shrimp to be manually fed into the machine in particular synchronization with a cutting blade, which requires additional effort and slows processing time.